Sluice for paper-board machines



J. HICKEY ET AL SLUICE FOR PAPER BOARD MACHINES Filed April 26, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o T; SW E 4, ,mm

Aug. 14; 1923.

J. HICKEY ET AL SLUICE FOR PAPER-BOARD MACHINES Filed pril 26.741922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllHlI III Patented Aug. 14, 1923..

UNHTIED STATES PATENT JOHN HICKEY, 0F FLUSHING, NEW YORK, AND DANIEL H.

scnwan'rz, or HOLYOEE,

BEASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO HOLYOKE VACUUM SLUICE COIJIPANY, 01* SPRING- FIELD, NASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SLUICE FOR PAPER-BOARD MACHINES.

Application filed April 26, 1922. Serial No. 556,781.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN HIGKEY and DANIEL H. SCHWARTZ, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Fluslr ing,- county of Queens, and State of New York, and Holyoke, county of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Sluices for Paper-Board Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vacuum sluices of the type disclosed in the application of Daniel H. Schwartz filed April 16, 1920, Serial No. 374,376 now Patent No. 1,43%,318 which is characterized by the use of a vacuum sluice constructed and arranged to exhaust water and air directly from the carrier felt and from the contacting film of pulp thereon by forming a suctional contact between the vacuum sluice and the felt, and is intended to improve the etliciency of such vacuum sluice by providing such means of adjustment as will permit the perfect and satisfactor 1 setting of the sluice in relation to the felt and the cylinder molds, and by making provision for adapting the sluice also to different widths of pulp without impairing the efficiency of its action.

Further features of the invention relate to means by which it is possible to determine exactly whether too much or too little suc tion is being exerted at any time by providing some portion of the enclosing wall of the sluice with a transparent inset, whereby the precise action taking place can be observed and the pressure regulated accordingly.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated the construction of a complete vacuum sluice as applied to a paper machine felt which embodies in specific form, the dif ferent features of this invention.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a paper board machine of well-known type equipped with our improved vacuum sluice.

Fi ure 2, on an enlarged scale, shows the detai of the sluice supporting mechanism.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on broken line 33 of Figure 7.

Figure 4c is a vertical section on broken line 44 of Figure 7.

Figure 5 is a central vertical section through one of the end portions or extenslons of the tubular body of the sluice.

Figure 6 is a vertical plan view of the entire sluice mounted in its supports.

Figure 7 is a front elevation showing one end of the sluice.

Figure 8 is a bottom the means for increasing or diminishing the effective length of the intake slot of the nozzle.

Figure 9 is a Vertical cross section through the nozzle valve portion of the structure. V

The invention herein described is shown in the drawings as applied to a paper board machine in which the pulp, in a series of vats 1, is carried up to the underside of the carrier felt 4, by means of the perforated revolving vacuum drums 2 known as cylinder molds which are rotated by contact with the overhead traveling carrier felt the cylinder molds being supported on central journals 3 in the end walls of the vats.

As the thin layer of pulp is carried up by the revolving mold into contact with the underside of the carrier felt l, the pressure of the carrier felt exerted in this case by the couch rolls 7 which are mounted in swingings arms 6, serves to squeeze out the free water content of the pulp. With the old style of slice bar there was formed a dam between the slice bar and the adjacent couch roll to prevent back-flow of water on the approaching felt, the water being allowed to run off the sides of the felt. Even when it was attempted to improve this operation by substituting a vacuum sluice in place of the old style slice bar, such sluices were so con structed as to form a dam for the water in front of the couch roll so that the troubles incident to the old arrangement were not obviated. By the vacuum sluice invention of said Schwartz above referred to, not only was the accumulation of water positively prevented but, furthermore, there was a direct action by the vacuum sluice both through the carrier felt and the-adhering layer of pulp so that bubbles and blisters and such like defects were practically eliminated from the finished product.

In order to secure more perfect action through better suction contact with the felt, and also to lessen wear on the carrier felt and otherwise improve the operation of the plan view illustrating Ell vacuum slice referred to, we have provided supporting means for the vacuum slice so constructed and arranged as to give every required adjustment for the proper setting of the slice hereinafter called vacuum sluice, in relation to the carrier felt and the cylinder mold, according to the character of the work being done.

To this end we provide at each side of the machine end brackets a which are adjustable longitudinally of the carrier felt by means of set screws 9, said brackets, when properly adjusted, being bolted firmly to the frame of the machine as shown in Figure 2. In the upper ends of these brackets are mounted swinging arms 10, formed at their outer ends with semi-circular bearings in connection with the removable bolted cap pieces 11 by which the end extensions of the main body member 12 are firmly clamped in place. These end extensions 13, being of cylindrical form, can be angularly adjusted and held in any desired position of adjustment by the clamping action of the bolted cap pieces 11. T 0 prevent any slippage in the supporting seat or bearing each extension 13 maybe provided. with a projecting lug 36 to be engaged by a set screw which is tapped through a lug 34 on the side of 'the supporting arm 10. The set screws 35 being adjustable can be set to suit any angular adjustment of the tubular sluice or body and prevents the weight at the offset nozzle from causing accidental angular displacement of the tubular exhaust member.

In the present instance the main tubular body member 12 ofthe vacuum sluice is made on the sectional principle both for the purpose of convenient construction, access to the interior for cleansing and also for the purpose of permitting the same end sections to be used with any desired number of interior sections in order to lengthen the sluice to suit different widths of machine. As shown in Figure 3, the main body portion 12 is adapted to receive a co-operating longitudinal section 14 each being provided with longitudinal fins or flanges adapted to form close contact and be bolted together by the connecting bolts 15 on the upper side.

To form the intake or suction nozzle, each member 12 and 14 of the tubular body is provided with downwardly and outwardly extending jaws or wings as shown at 14 and 12 having flat bottom surfaces to form a smooth contact with the carrier felt. At intervals there are formed bearing bosses 16 which serve to space these wings apart to form an inflow'passage for the water extracted from the pulp, and through these bosses are passed other fastening bolts 15. Beside these longitudinal flanges eachtransverse section of the assembled body member is provided with peripheral flanges by which any number of sections may be bolted together end to end but with tight contact to secure the desired vacuum.

The smaller cylindrical end extensions '13 are provided'on their lower sides, as shown at 13 ,.with suitable nipples or connections for the attachment of a tube leading to an exhaust pump as indicated at 33.

Near each end of the main body portion of the tubular exhaust member, the nozzle portion, at a slight distance inward from the bottom face of the nozzle, is formed with a cylindrical recess as shown at 17 in Figure 4 so that the lower portion of the nozzle, adjacent each end thereof, is in the form of a keyhole slot for a short distance inward from each end of the main body member. In this keyhole slot is inserted a cylindrical rod 19 which is slotted.- to receive a thin longitudinal blade 21 which is firmly pinned or otherwise secured to it so that the rod and the blade form a longitudinal valve completely closing the end portions of the in- When the apparatus is in operation it would be diflicult to ascertain, merely by a vacuum gage, just how strong a suction is being exerted as the suction will varry with different conditions on the same machine even when the gage registers the same amount of vacuum. To meet this situation, therefore, we have provided tight glass insets 30, preferably at each end of the sluice, these glass disks being tightly clamped against gaskets by means of flanged rings 31 which are bolted to peripheral flanges at the end of the tubular extensions 13. Since the nozzle delivers the water into the main body portion of the sluice at a substantial distance above the interior bottom of the sluice, the force or action of the exhaust can be easily judged by inspecting the flow of liquid through the nozzle. When the vacuum is high the liquid will spout through the nozzle forcibly and impinge against the opposite wall of the sluice. The pressure can then be decreased until an easy but rapid flow of the liquid is obtained, and in this way there may be avoided an excess of vacuum which might be detrimental to the evenness of the pulp film and would tend to cause excessive wear on the carrier felt.

It will be observed that the vacuum sluice in this case does not rest its weight upon the carrier felt. Means are provided to positively limit or stop the approach of the nozzle toward the felt, in this case consisting of set ,screws 10 mounted in the lower part of the arms 10 in position to impinge against some fixed part of the brackets 8. By properly adjusting the stop screws 10 just the right degree of contact between the nozzle and the carrier felt may be obtained to secure the best results, but the weight of the sluice is not carried by the felt and its action, therefore, is purely that of producing the requisite suction for extracting the Water and air from the pulp. and from the carrier felt.

\Vhatwe claim is:

l. The improvement in vacuum sluices for paper making machines embracing in combination, a tubular exhaust member provided with a longitudinal intake nozzle arranged to form a suction contact across the carrier felt of the machine, and means for adjustably supporting the exhaust member with its 'nozzle in contact with but unsupported by the carrier felt, substantially as described.

2. The improvement in vacuum sluices for paper making machines embracing in combination, a tubular exhaust member pro vided with a narrow slot-ted longitudinal nozzle arranged to form a suction contact with the carrier felt, a arms for engaging and supporting the ex haust member and adjustable stop means for positively limiting the approach of the nozzle to the carrier felt, substantially as described.

3. The improvement in vacuum sluices for paper making machines embracing in combination, a tubular exhaust member provided with a longitudinal suction nozzle having a narrow intake slot in the bottom to exert suction upon the carrier felt, said exhaust member being mounted to be adjustable angularly in its supports, said supports being vertically adjustable to properly posi tion the nozzle in relation to the carrier felt, substantially as described.

4. The improvement in vacuum sluices for paper making machines embracing in combination, a tubular exhaust member pro vided with a longitudinal suction nozzle arranged to form a suction contact with the carrier felt, supporting arms mounted in end brackets and provided with split bearings for clampingly holding portions of the exhaust member in any desired position of angular adjustment and adjustable means for limiting the movement of said arms toward the carrier felt, substantially as described.-

5. Theimprovement in vacuum sluices for paper making machines embracing in combination, a tubular exhaust member provided with a longitudinal exhaust nozzle arranged to form a suction contact with the pair of supporting felt, supporting end brackets adjust-able longitudinally of the carrier felt, pivotally adjustable arms provided with means for supporting the end portions of the exhaust member so as to permit angular adjustmentof the exhaust member, whereby the nozzle may be adjusted to correct operative relation to the carrier felt, substantially as described.

6. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine embracing in its construction, a hollow body member adapted to extend across the carrier felt of the machine, said body member being provided at either end with means for connection with an exhaust pump, a longitudinal suction nozzle projecting outwardly and downwardly from said body portion and provided with a narrow intake slot in its bottom to form a suction contact with the felt, one end of said body member being provided with a transparent wall for inspecting the interior to ascertain the degree of suction being exerted through the nozzle, substantially as described.

7. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine embracing a pressure tight tubular exhaust member provided with a longitudinal nozzle whose bottom face is longitudinally slotted to forman intake adapted to have suction contact with the carrier felt, to suck water and air bubbles therefrom, as well as from the layer of pulp adhering to the felt, a portion of the wall of said exhaust member being provided with a transparent inset to aid in determining the degree of suction exerted inside said member, substantially as described.

8. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine, embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member comprising two cooperating longitudinal sections detachably secured together to provide a pressure tight chamber. a laterally projecting suction nozzle formed of wings extending from'the respective sections to form a narrow longitudinal passage whose lower end opens directly against the carrier felt to form a suction contact therewith, substantially as described.

9. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine embracing in its construction, a longitudinal tubular exhaustivmember provided with a downwardly projecting nozzle formed with an intake slot in its bottom face, and means for lengthening and shortening the effective length of the intake slot to adapt the device to different widths of pulp on the carrier felt, substantially as described.

10. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine, embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member provided with a downwardly projecting nozzle having a longitudinal intake slot extending through its bottom face to open against the carrier felt, a longitudinally adjustable rod inserted in either end of the nozzle to close the end portions of said slot and by their adjustment correctly proportion the length of the slot to the width of the film of pulp in contact with the carrier felt, substantially as described.

11. A vacuum slu'ice for a paper machine,.

embracing in its construction a tubular ex- .haust member provided with a downwardly ber mounted in said key-hole slot portion to vary the effective length of the suction nozzle by its adjustment, substantially as described.

12. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine, embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member comprising a plurality of tubular sections detachably secured together end to end by pressure tight joints to permit assembling of a sluice of any desired length, each tubular section being provided with aligned nozzle portions provided with intake slots extending through the bottom of said nozzle portions to formsuction contact with the felt, and means for supporting the entire exhaust member with its nozzle in operative relation to the carrier felt. substantially as described.

13. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine, embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member comprising separate tubular sections provided at their adjacent ends with peripheral flanges adapted to be detachably bolted together to form a sluice of any desired length, each section being provided with a downwardly projecting suction nozzle arranged to align with nozzle portions of the other sections said nozzle portions being formed with slots extending through their bottom faces to act directly on the carrier felt, substantially as described.

14, A vacuum sluice for a paper machine, embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member comprising a plurality of separate-tubular sections detachably bolted together end to end, each section having a projecting nozzle portion extending longitudinally thereof to meet the corresponding nozzle portions of the other sections to form a continuous slotted nozzle across the carrier felt, the end portions of such nozzle being provided with longitudinally adjustable slot closing valve members, substantially as described.

15. A vacuum sluice for a paper machine, embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member comprising two longitudinal sections each provided with a longitudinal downwardly projecting wing, means for detachably clamping together the two sections and their wings to form a pressure tight tubular conduit provided withv a downwardly projecting longitudinal intake nozzle, and'means for supporting said exhaust member with the intake opening of its nozzle presented to the face of, the carrier felt, substantially as described.

16. A vacuum sluice embracing in its construction a tubular exhaust member provided. with i-a longitudinal intake nozzle formed with a longitudinal felt engaging face intersected by the intake opening so as to present the intake opening directly to the carrier felt, and thereby extract. the

moisture from the felt, and means for affording a View of the interior of the sluice without aifecting the partial vacuum maintained therein, substantially as described.

.In witness whereof, we have subscribed the above specification.

JOHN HICKEY.

DANIEL H. SCHWARTZ. 

